Petunia plant named ‘Sunpetu 3881’

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a new and distinct variety of  Petunia  plant having vigorous and semi-trailing habit, abundant flowering, the whole bush remaining in bloom for a considerable period of time, and single, small sized and vivid red purple colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunpetu 3881’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Petunia plant, which is hereinafter referred to as ‘Sunpetu 3881’.

A Petunia is a very popular plant that is used in flower bedding and potting in the summer season.

This purpose of this invention is to obtain a new Petunia cultivar with vigorous and semi-trailing habit, abundant flowering, the whole bush remaining in bloom for a considerable period of time, and single, small sized and vivid red purple colored flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from cross-pollination of the female parent ‘Shiro2’ and the male parent ‘MS22-193-2’. The female parent ‘Shiro2’ (unpatented) used in the crossing of ‘Sunpetu 3881’ is a strain of the applicant's breeding lines (i.e., proprietary Petunia selection), having white petals, and the male parent ‘MS22-193-2’ (unpatented) used in the crossing of ‘Sunpetu 3881’ is a strain of the applicant's breeding lines (i.e., proprietary Petunia selection), having medium flower diameter. The cross-pollination was conducted in Sep. 10, 2010 at Yame-gun, Fukuoka, Japan.

In March 2011, the seedlings obtained by the crossing were planted in a field. In May 2011, some seedlings were selected in view of growth habit, flower size and color thereof. Shortly thereafter stem tip culturing was carried out, and then the propagation was started.

In November 2012, the cultivation of the seedlings was repeated. The botanical characteristics of that plant were then examined, using similar varieties ‘Daiichi Bluette Purple 2’ and ‘MP22-21-2’ (unpatented) for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this Petunia plant is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known, and is uniform and stable in its characteristics.

The new variety of Petunia plant was then named ‘Sunpetu 3881’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This new variety is unlike any Petunia commercially available as evidenced by the following unique combinations of characteristics.

-   -   1. Vigorous and semi-trailing habit.     -   2. Abundant flowering, the whole bush remaining in bloom for a         considerable period of time.     -   3. Single, small sized and vivid red purple colored flower.

The new variety ‘Sunpetu 3881’ differs from the similar variety ‘Daiichi Bluette Purple 2’, which is disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,236, in the following points.

-   -   1. The plant posture of ‘Sunpetu 3881’ is considerable trailing.         That of ‘Daiichi Bluette Purple 2’ is trailing.     -   2. The stem length of ‘Sunpetu 3881’ is long. That of ‘Daiichi         Bluette Purple 2’ is medium.

The new variety ‘Sunpetu 3881’ differs from the similar variety ‘MP22-21-2’ in the following points.

-   -   1. The flower diameter of ‘Sunpetu 3881’ is medium. That of         ‘MP22-21-2’ is somewhat small.     -   2. The number of colors on surface of corolla lobe of ‘Sunpetu         3881’ is one. That of ‘MP22-21-2’ is two.

This new variety of Petunia plant ‘Sunpetu 3881’ was asexually reproduced by the use of cuttings in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, and homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed. A cutting used to reproduce the new variety typically has one or more leaves and a stem. The instant plant retains its distinctive characteristics and produces true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The depicted plants had been reproduced by the use of cuttings and were photographed during October 2013 while growing outdoors in wall pots with about 24 cm of container size at an age of approximately 5 months.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a typical plant of the new variety of Petunia plant ‘Sunpetu 3881’ while growing in a pot.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a close view of flowers of the new variety of Petunia plant ‘Sunpetu 3881’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In October 2013, the cultivation of the seedlings was repeated at Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The average day temperature was about 23° C., and the average night temperature was about 13° C. The plants were grown under natural sunlight. The number of days to flowering (response time) was 2-3 weeks. The quality was maintained for about 150 days. The plants had temperature resistance to about −5° C. (the lowest temperature) and about 35° C. (the highest temperature). Further, the plants had good tolerance to pests and pathogens.

For the parentage information: The female parent ‘Shiro2’ (unpatented) used in the crossing of ‘Sunpetu 3881’ is a strain of the applicant's breeding lines (i.e., proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida), having white petals, and the male parent ‘MS22-193-2’ (unpatented) used in the crossing of ‘Sunpetu 3881’ is a strain of the applicant's breeding lines (i.e., proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida), having medium flower diameter.

For the propagation information: approximate soil and/or air temperature was around 15-20° C.; the new cultivar was propagated by cutting; number of days to initiate roots was about 7 days; number of days to produce a rooted young plant was about 21 days; free-root branching; root color was white; and root texture was fibrous.

The botanical characteristics of the new and distinct variety of Petunia plant named ‘Sunpetu 3881’ at an age of approximately 5 months are shown in the following TABLE 1. In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with The Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Colour Chart The 5th edition 2007).

TABLE 1 PLANT VARIETY DESCRIPTION APPLICATION VARIETY CHARACTERISTIC Sunpetu 3881 ANNUAL, BIENNIAL or PERENNIAL? Grown as annual TYPE OF PLANT: i.e., TREE, SHRUB, Potted plant SUBSHRUB, VINE, CUT FLOWER, POTTED PLANT APPROPRIATE CONTAINERS +/or Ideal for pots, hanging CROPPING SYSTEM baskets or planters, and is good for use as a ground cover. GROWTH HABIT Semi-trailing PLANT HEIGHT About 28.0 cm PLANT DIAMETER OR AREA OF About 65.0 cm SPREAD PLANT VIGOR Vigorous BRANCHING HABIT Freely branching BASAL BRANCHING? Present PINCHING REQUIRED? Required NUMBER OF LATERAL BRANCHES Many LATERAL BRANCH LENGTH About 25.5 mm LATERAL BRANCH DIAMETER About 2.1 mm INTERNODE LENGTH OF A STEM About 29.6 mm STEM ASPECT Upright to outward STEM COLOR (and bark color, if Near 143A RHS applicable) STEM PUBESCENCE? Pubescent OTHER PLANT/STEM   CHARACTERISTICS LEAF ARRANGEMENT Alternate COMPOUND OR SIMPLE? Simple QUANTITY OF LEAVES PER Many LATERAL BRANCH LEAF SHAPE Ovate LEAF TIP Acute LEAF BASE Obtuse LEAF LENGTH About 36.4 mm LEAF WIDTH About 18.7 mm LEAF THICKNESS About 0.2 mm LEAF TEXTURE Smooth LEAF PUBESCENCE? WHICH SIDE? Pubescent, both sides LEAF MARGIN Entire VENATION PATTERN Pinnate LEAF COLOR, YOUNG, UPPER SIDE Near 138A RHS LEAF COLOR, YOUNG, UNDER SIDE Near 138B RHS LEAF COLOR, MATURE, UPPER SIDE Near 138A RHS LEAF COLOR, MATURE, UNDER SIDE Near 138B RHS VENATION COLOR, UPPER SIDE Near 144C RHS VENATION COLOR, UNDER SIDE Near 144D RHS PETIOLE LENGTH About 5.3 mm PETIOLE DIAMETER About 1.8 mm PETIOLE TEXTURE Pubescent, dense, long PETIOLE COLOR Near 144C RHS STIPULES, TENDRILS, THORNS,   SPINES OR PRICKLES? IF SO, GIVE COLOR AND SIZE OTHER FOLIAGE CHARACTERISTICS   FLOWER ARRANGEMENT Borne in upper leaf axils INFLORESCENCE TYPE OR FORM (if Flower solitary applicable) FLOWER TYPE or FORM Single FLOWERING HABIT Continuously QUANTITY OF FLOWERS PER About 1 to 4 LATERAL STEM QUANTITY OF FLOWERS PER PLANT About 183 NATURAL FLOWERING SEASON About Spring to late Autumn TIME TO FLOWER OR RESPONSE About 2~3 weeks TIME FRAGRANCE Absent FLOWER BUD LENGTH About 20.7 mm FLOWER BUD DIAMETER About 5.4 mm FLOWER BUD SHAPE Cylindrical with 5 lines, Tip: twisted FLOWER BUD COLOR Near 79C RHS FLOWER ASPECT; i.e., UPRIGHT, Upright to outward OUTWARD, DROOPING, etc. FLOWER SHAPE Salverform FLOWER DIAMETER About 26.9 mm FLOWER DEPTH (HEIGHT) About 24.0 mm FLOWER LONGEVITY ON PLANT About 7~10 days PERSISTENT OR SELF-CLEANING? Self-cleaning PETAL TEXTURE, UPPER SURFACE Smooth PETAL TEXTURE, LOWER SURFACE Smooth TUBE TEXTURE, Pubescent PETAL ARRANGEMENT Single whorl PETAL NUMBER 5 PETALS FUSED? Fused PETAL SHAPE Spatulate PETAL MARGIN Entire PETAL TIP Mucronate PETAL BASE Fused PETAL LENGTH About 11.9 mm PETAL WIDTH About 12.3 mm PETAL COLOR, WHEN OPENING, Near 72A RHS UPPER SIDE PETAL COLOR, WHEN OPENING, Near N80C RHS LOWER SIDE PETAL COLOR, FULLY OPENED, Near N74A RHS UPPER SIDE PETAL COLOR, FULLY OPENED, Near 84C RHS LOWER SIDE PETAL COLOR, FADING TO — RHS THROAT DIAMETER About 8.8 mm TUBE DIAMETER (PROXIMAL END) About 3.1 mm TUBE LENGTH About 16.3 mm THROAT COLOR (inside) Near 83D and N92A TUBE COLOR (outside) Near 83C RHS SEPAL ARRANGEMENT Single whorl NUMBER OF SEPALS 5 SEPAL SHAPE Narrow elliptic SEPAL MARGIN Entire SEPAL TIP Obtuse SEPAL BASE Fused SEPAL LENGTH About 12.0 mm SEPAL WIDTH About 2.3 mm SEPAL COLOR, IMMATURE, UPPER Near 143B RHS SIDE SEPAL COLOR, IMMATURE, UNDER Near 143C RHS SIDE SEPAL COLOR, MATURE, UPPER Near 143B RHS SIDE SEPAL COLOR, MATURE, UNDER Near 143C RHS SIDE CALYX SHAPE Tubular, star shape CALYX LENGTH About 9.0 mm CALYX DIAMETER About 13.7 mm PEDUNCLE LENGTH About 15.1 mm PEDUNCLE DIAMETER About 0.7 mm PEDUNCLE ANGLE Upright to outward PEDUNCLE TEXTURE Pubescent PEDUNCLE COLOR Near 144A, Near the calyx: with 77A RHS Anthocyanin STAMEN NUMBER 5 STAMEN LENGTH About 10.6~13.5 mm ANTHER SHAPE Ellipsoidal ANTHER SIZE About 2.1 × 1.5 mm ANTHER COLOR Near 93C RHS AMOUNT OF POLLEN Moderate POLLEN COLOR Near 93D RHS PISTIL NUMBER 1 PISTIL LENGTH About 11.4 mm STIGMA SHAPE Transversely ellipsoidal STIGMA COLOR Near 92B RHS STYLE COLOR Near 145D RHS OVARY COLOR Near 146D RHS OTHER FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS   QUANTITY OF SEEDS Seed production has not been observed. Fruit This variety will bear fruit but no fruits are produced up to date ROOT STRUCTURES such as BULBS, Fibrous root CORMS or RHIZOMES? LOW TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE Good HIGH TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE Good DISEASE RESISTANCE AND/OR — SUSCEPTIBILITY RESISTANCE OF PESTS AND/OR — SUSCEPTIBILITY

This new variety of Petunia plant having the above botanical characteristics is suitable for flower bedding and potting, particularly in hanging pots or planters. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Petunia plant named ‘Sunpetu 3881’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 